Over 100 brand-new recipes offer options galore for casual gatherings with menus for a Holiday Open House, a Family Celebration, an Elf Party for the kids, and a Cozy Christmas Eve Dinner for two. Top Chicken & Turkey recipes provide new choices for the classic holiday entree; Choosing Sides rounds out the meal with veggie dishes that feature a fresh twist on traditional fare. Cake Mix Magic shares the secret to preparing easy desserts with eight designed-to-impress cakes that start with a mix. Big Fat Cookies will wow friends, family, and everyone on the gift list with 10 filled, frosted, and seriously oversized treats that bring out the child in everyone. Add to that 15 more recipes for sweet gifts from the kitchen and six pages of do-it-yourself gifts, and suddenly gift shopping becomes fun, not frantic. Big, colorful photos inspire charming Christmas accents for every room in the house. Whether it's a garden-themed front porch setting or a simple sideboard arrangement, this book's updated decorating approach is easy, inexpensive, and fun. From a make-it-in-minutes table runner to centerpiece containers made from tin cans, the results are amazingly appealing. "